Senior Solicitor

NATIONAL EDUCATION UNION; London; On-site; GBP 86,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational organization in London seeks a Senior Solicitor to oversee legal advice related to trade union regulatory issues and ensure compliance with legislative requirements. The ideal candidate must have a minimum of five years' experience, expertise in various legal areas, and effective management skills. This full-time position offers a salary of £85,922 and excellent working conditions, including generous annual leave and a defined benefit pension scheme.

Benefits

35 days annual leave plus Christmas closure days

Defined benefit pension scheme

Qualifications

• Experience in overseeing and managing legal advice related to trade union regulatory issues.
• Ability to ensure compliance with legislative requirements for industrial action.
• Knowledge of political, educational, and legal contexts.

Responsibilities

• Supervise the professional conduct of in-house solicitors.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and provide legal advice.
• Deliver legal training to staff and lay officers.

Skills

Legal expertise in employment, trade union, contract, and equality law

Effective people management skills

Ability to handle confidential issues

Collaborative work approach

Education

Qualified practicing solicitor with a minimum of five years’ experience

Job description

SENIOR SOLICITOR

Based in the NEU Head Office (London, WC1H 9BD)

Permanent, full-time

Starting salary: £85,922 per annum

The National Education Union is a force for change in the world of education, bringing together more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff, and leaders working in maintained and independent schools and colleges across the UK.

We are seeking a qualified, practicing solicitor with a minimum of five years’ experience. The successful candidate will contribute to the union’s aims by overseeing and managing the provision of legal advice related to trade union regulatory issues, ensuring compliance with legislative requirements for industrial action, and providing technical legal advice to the NEU’s Strategic Leadership Team on policy and campaigning matters.

Key responsibilities include supervising the professional conduct of in-house solicitors as required by the Law Society and Solicitors Regulation Authority, ensuring regulatory compliance, sourcing or providing legal advice, contributing to responses to government consultations on legal and employment issues, and delivering legal training to staff and lay officers.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate effective people management skills, the ability to handle confidential issues, work collaboratively, and empower others. They should possess knowledge of political, educational, and legal contexts, with expertise in employment, trade union, contract, and equality law, along with a good understanding of other legal areas.

This is an exciting opportunity for a candidate looking to advance their career. As this is a newly created position, the successful applicant will have the autonomy to shape how the role integrates into the Senior Management Team and the wider organization.

In addition to salary, we offer good conditions including 35 days’ annual leave plus Christmas closure days and a defined benefit pension scheme. Salary will be prorated for part-time applicants.

Further details can be downloaded from our website via the button below, where applicants can complete an online application on our recruitment portal. The closing date is mid-day Monday, 1 September 2025.

We welcome applications from individuals seeking part-time, job-share, or other flexible working arrangements.

THE UNION IS FIRMAMENTALLY COMMITTED TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES.